Sorry, Dad: Davenport lifts O'Connor

Updated 4:25 pm, Friday, April 26, 2013

The O'Connor Panthers pile on Zachary Davenport after his ninth-inning single drove in the winning run Thursday against Taft at Northside Athletic Complex.

The O'Connor Panthers pile on Zachary Davenport after his ninth-inning single drove in the winning run Thursday against Taft at Northside Athletic Complex.

Photo: Marvin Pfeiffer / San Antonio Express-News

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The O'Connor Panthers rush the field as Billy Craft prepares to cross the plate in the ninth inning of their with Taft at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor wrapped up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net

The O'Connor Panthers rush the field as Billy Craft prepares to cross the plate in the ninth inning of their with Taft at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor wrapped up a perfect 16-0

O'Connor's Zachary Davenport drives in the winning run with a 9th inning single in the Panthers 1-0 victory over Taft at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor wrapped up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A with the victory. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net

O'Connor's Zachary Davenport drives in the winning run with a 9th inning single in the Panthers 1-0 victory over Taft at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor wrapped up a perfect 16-0

O'Connor's Mark Ecker throws to the plate during the second inning of their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. Ecker held the Raiders to two hits in seven innings to help the Panthers win the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net less

O'Connor's Mark Ecker throws to the plate during the second inning of their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. Ecker held the Raiders to two hits in seven innings to help the Panthers ... more

Photo: MARVIN PFEIFFER, Marvin Pfeiffer/ Express-News

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O'Connor's Mark Ecker throws to the plate during the second inning of their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. Ecker held the Raiders to two hits in seven innings to help the Panthers win the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net

O'Connor's Mark Ecker throws to the plate during the second inning of their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. Ecker held the Raiders to two hits in seven innings to help the Panthers

Taft's Jordan Hackett throws to the plate during the first inning of their game with O'Connor at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net less

Taft's Jordan Hackett throws to the plate during the first inning of their game with O'Connor at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a ... more

Photo: MARVIN PFEIFFER, Marvin Pfeiffer/ Express-News

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Taft's Lance Martino (top) prepares to throw to first after forcing out O'Connor's Zachary Davenport during their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net

Taft's Lance Martino (top) prepares to throw to first after forcing out O'Connor's Zachary Davenport during their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine

O'Connor's Mark Ecker prepares to throw Taft's Manuel Nieves Ibanez out at first base during the fifth inning of their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net

O'Connor's Mark Ecker prepares to throw Taft's Manuel Nieves Ibanez out at first base during the fifth inning of their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in

Taft's Reid Goins (right) beats the throw to to O'Connor's Gavin Johnson to slide safely into third base during the fifth inning of their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net

Taft's Reid Goins (right) beats the throw to to O'Connor's Gavin Johnson to slide safely into third base during the fifth inning of their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won

Taft's Jordan Hackett (center) celebrates after pitching out of a jam in the eighth inning of their game with O'Connor at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net

Taft's Jordan Hackett (center) celebrates after pitching out of a jam in the eighth inning of their game with O'Connor at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine

O'Connor's Justin Garcia throws to the plate during the ninth inning of their game with Taft at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net

O'Connor's Justin Garcia throws to the plate during the ninth inning of their game with Taft at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a

O'Connor's Jose Rodriguez (left) and Zachary Davenport catch Taft's Hunter Umpierre in a rundown between first and second during the sixth inning of their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net

O'Connor's Jose Rodriguez (left) and Zachary Davenport catch Taft's Hunter Umpierre in a rundown between first and second during the sixth inning of their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25,

O'Connor's Dillon Stumpf leaps for a catch at the wall to retire the side in the sixth inning of their game with Taft at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net

O'Connor's Dillon Stumpf leaps for a catch at the wall to retire the side in the sixth inning of their game with Taft at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine

O'Connor's Justin Garcia celebrates his eighth inning double during their game with Taft at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net

O'Connor's Justin Garcia celebrates his eighth inning double during their game with Taft at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect

O'Connor's Zachary Davenport (left) waits for the throw as Taft's Alfredo Romero slides into second base during the ninth inning of their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net

O'Connor's Zachary Davenport (left) waits for the throw as Taft's Alfredo Romero slides into second base during the ninth inning of their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won

The Taft Raiders watch their game with O'Connor from the duggout at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net

The Taft Raiders watch their game with O'Connor from the duggout at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect 16-0 record in district

Taft's Reid Goins (right) slides back to second base as O'Connor's Jose Rodriguez tries to get a handle on the ball during the fifth inning of their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013. O'Connor won the game 1-0 in nine innings, wrapping up a perfect 16-0 record in district 27-5A. MARVIN PFEIFFER/ mpfeiffer@express-news.net

Taft's Reid Goins (right) slides back to second base as O'Connor's Jose Rodriguez tries to get a handle on the ball during the fifth inning of their game at Northside Field No. 2 on Thursday, April 25, 2013.

Taft football coach Brian Davenport tries to stay neutral when his Raiders play O'Connor in baseball, where his son Zachary is a second baseman.

Brian will usually sit on the Taft side, but on Thursday, for his youngest son's last regular-season game, he stood behind the Panthers' dugout. That's where he watched Zachary hit the game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving O'Connor a 1-0 victory at Northside Athletic Complex.

“I'm sure he was happy and sad,” Zachary said. “But I know he's proud of both me and the Taft team.”

Davenport's hit sent Billy Craft home and gave No. 2 O'Connor (24-4-2) a perfect 16-0 record in District 27-5A, a stunning six games ahead of a four-way tie for second place that includes Taft.

The game remained scoreless until the ninth inning as both starting pitchers, O'Connor's Mark Ecker and Taft's Jordan Hackett, were masterful.

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Ecker had 11 strikeouts through four innings and a four-strikeout inning in the seventh, leaving two runners stranded. He has 103 strikeouts in 50 innings pitched this season.

Taft countered with Hackett, who has guided his team through a remarkable turnaround this season. After Taft (12-15) began the season with a 2-11 record, Hackett helped the Raiders storm into the playoff race with a 5-1 record and 1.21 ERA.

Hackett threw eight innings, keeping O'Connor off balance and leaving eight Panthers stranded. But the Panthers were able to get to Taft's relievers, setting up Davenport's game-winning single and an O'Connor dogpile.

Taft, at 10-6 in district play, is tied with Stevens, Warren and Brandeis. Because Taft and Warren hold the tiebreakers, Brandeis and Stevens will play at 5 p.m. Friday at Northside to determine 27-5A's fourth playoff spot.

lchan@express-news.net

Twitter:@mysahighschools

Correction: This story has been updated to correct the name of a player.